Sir -

In last Saturday’s The Irish Field (February 2nd), Point-to Point segment Eoghain Ward drew the reader’s attention to two horses with a disparity of 42 years in age carrying the name Any Crack.

While Donnchadh Doyle’s five-year-old gelding son of Getaway has just experienced his first introduction to the point to point field, the 1972 born original Any Crack left a rich legacy when trained by the famous P. P. Hogan.

Eoghain Ward lists four of the successful riders of Any Crack, but not included amongst the names of Tom Costello, Niall “Boots” Madden, Ted Walsh and Enda Bolger is J B Mc Gowan who recently published his excellent autobiography, Clearing The Hurdles, which I am just finishing at present.

In his chapter, “My First Point to-Point Winner” Joe describes in a very amusing fashion how PP Hogan offered him the ride on Any Crack at Bartlemy after Joe had finished second at a Thurles point-to-point on Bilbo Baggins.

The plot thickens when Joe arriving at Bartlemy and walking the course realises that Ted Walsh was riding a second runner in the race trained by the Co. Limerick maestro. Joe assumed that Ted would be riding the better fancied of the two stable companions as Any Crack had been beaten on his first outing a fortnight previously on 1st May. (1977)

In the parade ring just prior to the race PP Hogan told Joe who had never ridden a point-to-point winner, to let down his irons as he was not Lester Piggott! PP advised Joe that all he had to do was relax as Any Crack would jump from fence to fence and he would win.

Despite almost being carried out early in the race, the Harwell five-year-old gelding was back in contention on the final circuit and won by two lengths.

When horse and rider returned to the enclosure with both enjoying their first success, Joe McGowan was astonished to discover that Any Crack had been backed from 10/1 to even money!.- Yours etc.,

KAY BURKE,

57 Fortfield Drive,

Terenure,

Dublin 6W.